Shrinking Violet
by ElectricSunset
Summary: Berwald met Tino Väinämöinen in high school, after his poor mother sent him to escape his abusive father. Tino had lost his parents and was known as the shrinking violet, awkward around people and so soft-spoken and sensitive...Berwald never knew what an excellent person such a frightened, fragile flower would be.


Hey! This is really my first story on FanFiction, so I'm not sure how it'll turn out. This is mainly SuFin, but it may hint some DenNor at times, or even non-Nordic pairings like GerIta or AusHun.

Human names:

Sweden: Berwald Oxenstierna

Finland: Tino Väinämöinen

Denmark: Mathias Køhler

Norway: Lukas Thomassen

Iceland: Emil Steilsson

1

Berwald Oxenstierna had been a tall, skinny boy of sixteen when he had met Tino, with an angry father and a try-hard mother. He had been shipped off to a boarding school in hopes he would receive a better education without them. But he was still nervous.

The boy had been educated by his parents during most of his years, taught to read, write, speak and know. His mother did most of the work while his father just sat in the back and drank. He would give random outbursts during lessons and hit mother while Berwald just watched helplessly. Cursing his luck, he wished hard that he wouldn't be like that.

Upon arriving at the school, Berwald wanted to cry. He wanted to hug someone, feel their touch and be comforted. But he only stared straight ahead, fixated on getting to class and nothing else. He didn't think he would have friends. He didn't expect to have anything. It was that recess, when a grinning, messy-haired senior waved vigorously at him, when he realized he was wrong.

Berwald hiked his bag up his shoulder and hesitantly approached the young man, who was leaning by a bench. He looked friendly...but stupid. The Swedish boy recognized him immediately. Bedheaded honey-blonde hair? Slightly tanned skin? Thick Danish accent? This could be none other than his cousin, Mathias Køhler.

"Heyyy! Ya got my signal, Berry!" Mathias grinned. "Ya done bein' homeschooled or what?"

"Ja." Berwald looked up. "Ya have new friends?" He gestured to the group of kids.

"Yeah!" Mathias grinned. "And guess what? We're roommates!"

Berwald was taken aback, but simply let out a tiny groan. "R'lly?"

"Oh, don't worry, Waldo! It's a five-person dorm!" He indicated the group again. "Everyone here but Leon's gonna be roommates!" Leon, according to Mathias, was an Asian-looking boy, with long black bangs and heavy eyebrows.

"Oh. Great," Berwald muttered, half-sarcastic. All Berwald saw from Mathias were crazy parties and breaking the rules. He partially doubted any of his friends would be any better.

"Thought I might as well introduce ya ta yer dormmates. Since yer stayin' an' all." Mathias grinned, wrapping a muscular arm around a blonde's shoulder. The blonde huffed. "First off, this's Lukas Thommasen. Senior. This guy's from Norway. Claims ta do magic. Don' mess with 'im."

Lukas nodded to Berwald. "Nice t'meet ya," he almost moaned, his voice soft and slightly accented. Lukas was slightly shorter than Mathias, and he seemed rather strange and unemotional. His cold, dull indigo eyes seemed to accentuate his mysterious aura. Berwald caught him glaring subtly at Mathias, and he was glad he could share his annoyance towards the Dane.

"Alright, next's his brother, Emil," Mathias continued. "He's raised 'n Iceland. Freshman. Luke's brother." He grinned and slapped the back of a skinny young teen with silvery hair.

"Um...hey, I guess," Emil muttered irritably, yet Berwald could sense a hint of shyness in his voice. This boy had reddish-violet eyes and was a bit pale, did he have some sort of albinism or something? He seemed like the typical awkward teenager, although he did seem to inherit some of Lukas' mystery.

"Hey, Sverige, ya okay with roomin' with a Finn?" Mathias asked.

 _S_ _trange question,_ Berwald thought. "Ja...why not?"Mathias grinned and tapped someone on the shoulder. The person - a young boy - stood up and stepped over the seat of the bench. "So...this is our last - but most definitely not least - member of the dorm...Tino Nicholas Väinämöinen." He gently ruffled the boy's hair before setting a firm hand on his shoulder. "Sophomore. Native of Finland. Parents died. Been takin' care 'f him since."

Berwald's expression softened ever-so-slightly. This was possibly the opposite of what he had expected in a Finn. The boy was rather short; shorter than Emil, even; and a bit chubby, but in a sweet way. He had large, wide lavender eyes that gave off the impression of astonishment, his skin pale as snow, with round, soft cheeks as pink as roses, and soft pink lips formed a small, genuine smile. He let a tiny, nervous giggle escape his lips. "It's much of a pleasure, Mister Berwald. Mister Mathias has told me about you."

 _Funny...I'd expected him t' talk like the others._ Berwald looked down slightly. _Mathias told 'm 'bout me? Wonder what he said..._ He snickered darkly.

Tino suddenly let out a squeak of fright and took cover behind Mathias. "Ah-! _Hemmetti!_ Scary!"

Berwald gasped slightly as he watched the young lad tremble behind his cousin's back. "What?"

"Ah- oh! I'm so sorryyy!" Tino let a couple tears line those big eyes. "Y-you were just frightening me!"

"I see," Berwald said softly. _He's cute. Not like th' other boys. Be 'mbarrassin' t'say._ Tino slowly but surely approached Berwald and looked up at him. "You don't happen...to be Swedish, do you?"

"Mm..." Berwald nodded. "M' Swed'sh."

"Ah-! And...you own a dog, just like me?"

Berwald nodded vaguely.

Tino smiled. "And you like building things?"

Berwald repeated the gesture. "Mhm."

"Wow, you're exactly like Mister Mathias told me! He really knew!' Tino grinned cheerfully.

Berwald glared sharply at Mathias.

Tino squealed in fear and hid behind the Dane. "He's scaryyyy!"

"What?" Berwald stepped forward.

 _"Anteeksi_ _, anteeksi!"_ Tino squeaked and buried his head in Mathias' back.

Berwald eyed Mathias before looking to Tino. "Ya like pastries?"

"Y-yes, v-very much in fact," Tino stammered as he opened up again.

"Ber, ya can' just charm 'im with sweets!" Mathias snapped irritably. "Ya might come off's suspicious to 'im!" He turned to the small Finnish boy. "Tino, remember t'be careful who ya trust."

Tino nodded quietly, but stepped closer to Berwald. "You...you bake?"

"Mm." Berwald descended onto the bench as he nodded. "You?"

"Yeah!" Tino smiled. "I like to! It's very fun!"

Berwald chuckled. "Ja?"

"Mmhmm! I really do like making sweets!" Tino sat next to him. "What do you like to make?"

"Anythin' really," Berwald said. "D'ssert, breakfast, lunch, dinn'r...make snacks too. Like ta cook."

Tino laughed pleasantly. "That's a wonderful hobby, Mister Berwald! Maybe we could cook together sometime!"

"...Ja."

"Haha, looks like Waldo's found a favorite already!" Mathias' voice chimed in.

Berwald groaned and stood up. "Bell's 'bout ta ring, Mathi."

"Right then!" Mathias laughed heartily and called out for his friends...well, Berwald wasn't sure whether they were genuine friends, knowing Mathias. "C'mon, guys! Bell!"

Lukas seemed reluctant as he got up, pulling Emil up with him, and Tino just tagged along cheerfully. Berwald was the last to go, following Tino with a sense of peculiar curiosity. The school was beautiful, really, and lively as they came in, and for some reason Tino's presence, even though they had just met, made everything better.

The bell rang right when Berwald had touched the door, causing Mathias to childishly shout "jinx" and make Berwald and Lukas groan in annoyance, while sweet Tino just looked a bit startled. Berwald guessed Tino didn't mind Mathias, which he didn't really care about, as long as they didn't end up together or some other...intimate scenario like that.

Berwald was deep in thought as he parted ways, following Lukas to class.

"What're ya thinkin' about?"

Berwald jumped. Lukas had broken the current awkward silence by asking him a question. He couldn't bring himself to lie.

"Mm...jus' th' boy..." Berwald's voice was barely audible as he spoke.

"Which boy? There are a lot of boys," Lukas stated matter-of-factly.

"Th'one I met earlier...th' one whose parents died," he whispered.

"Oh. Ya mean Shrinkin' Violet?"

"Hm?" Berwald didn't understand.

"Tino," Lukas explained. "Tino Väinämöinen. Ya like 'm?"

Berwald raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why'd ya call 'm Shrinkin' Violet?"

"'Cause he's shy 'n' has purple eyes," he said simply. "Came up with 't when we were freshmen. Either that or Fragile Flower."

Berwald stroked his chin in thought. "Must've looked up t'ya, that kid."

"Oh, yeah." Lukas nodded. "We're here," he added, gesturing to the door.

Berwald followed Lukas obediently. He was much taller than most of the students, he realized, but they didn't seem to be as small as Tino. Or at least, seemingly not as small. "What class's this again?"

Lukas sighed. "English."

Berwald gave a subtle nod of understanding. He could see Lukas' dismay. He was never really good at English either.

"May I please have your names?" The teacher, an average-height, thin man with some of the heaviest eyebrows Berwald had ever seen, folded his hands in front of him, looking very professional as he smiled in a somewhat forced manner. "Mr. Arthur Kirkland" was written on the board in neat writing.

A young lad covered in freckles, whose hair looked almost pink, shot his hand up. "Oliver Kirk-"

"I need no introduction from you," the teacher replied, his British accent thick with his young voice. "I'll start from the front right."

A redheaded boy, barely taller than tiny Tino, grinned up at Mr. Kirkland. "Feliciano Vargas, sir!" He saluted dramatically, his Italian accent only making it funnier. "Here to learn!"

Kirkland chuckled. "You have no need to salute me, young man. Next."

A tall, incredibly muscular male stood up, his arms crossed like he meant business. "Ludwig Beilscmidt." He sat down immediately.

A very small, dark-haired man followed suit, bowing politely as he stated, "Honda Kiku, sir."

"Since you are in English class, you shall say 'Kiku Honda,' alright?" Arthur sat down as he said this. "I don't want to call you the wrong name by mistake."

The man, presumably Japanese, bowed again and sat as Berwald rose slowly.

"A-alright, and what would your name be?" Arthur sweat a little as he looked up at this man.

The tall Scandinavian looked into Kirkland's eyes without meaning to. "Berw'ld Ox'nstierna."

"Er...repeat that?"

Berwald sighed. "Berwald Oxenstierna," he echoed as clearly as possible for a tight-throated man such as himself.

"Great." Mr. Kirkland checked him off as Lukas was introducing himself. "Anyone else?"

Berwald heard everything from "Alfred F. Jones" to "Yong-Soo Im," and he felt like they weren't kidding when they advertised the school as "international." He saw people of all shapes, sizes and colors, and it was...interesting.

As expected, Berwald had trouble communicating. All different nationalities meant all different languages and accents, so it was difficult to understand and be understood. He didn't seem to have gotten many friends either. But he couldn't stop thinking about Tino, little Tino, Tino who had lost his parents, Tino with the sweet little Finnish accent. Just...Tino.

(Sorry about the bad ending...)

Translations:

Most of us know what "ja" means.

Hemmetti: Basically "darn it" or "dang it" in Finnish.

Anteeksi: I'm sorry.


End file.
